Basics of Family Roots

1. Article 1: HeraldryAndCrests.com BASICS OF FAMILY ROOTS You must have heard of a thing called family crest. A crest was used in ancient times as a symbol of the family that a person came from. It was typically worn on the head, atop the helmet. They were decorative sculptures that knights wore in tournaments. They were used in battles too, primarily for identification of people. In earlier times, the persons eligible to wear these crests were primarily the higher classes – knights and above – but as time progressed, all armed personnel started wearing them. The concept of family crest symbols and coats of arms is more deeply practiced in Germany, where certain high- ranking noblemen have as many as seventeen. Normally, there are not known to be more than one crest on an arm. In Britain this concept caught on long ago, but there is hardly more than one symbol for a family. These days the heraldry system has become more of iconic and purely ceremonial. Modern day population has other things to worry about, does not have to face battles anymore. This tradition has died out in many countries, but some families still desire to stay connected with this heritage. Tradition says that a family crest can be passed down only from a father to his son. A direct line of descendants has to be present. Whether or not you have a personal crest and coat of arms depends completely on the history. Some families do not have a coat of arms but do have a crest. Some families only have one member with a crest and a coat of arms as a personal right. Family crest symbols are often today worn as a piece of jewellery – something that reminds you of The Godfather. Although this affair is not as grave as the mafia, it is just as interesting. Having a rind or a bracelet or other traditional jewellery items with an engraved family crest makes you feel empowered. It makes you feel connected to your roots. It gives you panache that you carry everywhere, your bloodline. A family crest ring is a symbol of your lineage, of your history and heritage. There is certain pride to be derived from this, when you know where you are coming from. It also piques the interest of those around you. Being aware of the history of your family is a good thing. Family crest finders today have extensive database with them that consists of details of each crest in existence. In addition to this, they also have information on the origins and usage of that crest, who wore it and for how long. These companies help you locate your family crest through this dedicated database. Answers like lineage, genealogy and branching can be nailed down accurately through these companies. Usually such companies also associate themselves with a family crest maker so that once you’ve found where you come from, things can proceed smoothly and a family crest can be made for you. To know more about coat of arms maker, visit HeraldryAndCrests.com. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Felicity Queen is an expert on the concept of family crests, coat of arms and heirlooms. She loves writing on the topic of the most famous crests throughout history and recommends HeraldryAndCrests.com as the number one coat of arms maker of you are looking to get something similar designed for your family name.